A "strong showing" by the International team at the second
Presidents Cup golf competition, being played in Lake Manassas,
VA, "would go a long way toward ensuring the future of the
matches," according to Larry Dorman of the N.Y. TIMES. Dorman
notes the "infusion of talent," like Greg Norman, Ernie Els, and
Jumbo Ozaki of Japan, "has added some intriguing fodder for
discussion to an event that needs all the positive spin it can
get" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/13). ESPN's Jimmy Roberts: "Originally, PGA
Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem thought it might take as much as
twenty years to turn this into a major golf event. Now he says
it could take half that. In his estimation, there is really only
one thing missing." Finchem notes the only thing "lacking ... is
history." Roberts: "The Ryder Cup popularity soared once the
Europeans started winning occasionally, and so organizers here
hope the addition of Norman and Els ... will make the event more
competitive, the central condition if this event is to survive
into the future" ("SportsCenter," ESPN, 9/12). The event is "a
great idea with great players, but it needs something great to
happen this weekend to move it to center stage" (AP/DETROIT NEWS,
9/13).
VERY PRUDENT: Former President George Bush, the event's
honorary Chair, spoke yesterday during the opening ceremony of
the event that "was virtually lifted from last year's Ryder Cup
ceremony" (Barker Davis, WASHINGTON TIMES, 9/13). "CBS This
Morning" profiled the Presidents Cup as Mark McEwen conducted a
live interview from the Robert Trent Jones Golf Course with Bush,
U.S. Captain Arnold Palmer and International Captain Peter
Thomson (CBS, 9/13).
